Multicultural counseling does not provide quick solutions. I understand that in front of me is a unique person with a rich history of cultural interactions. This is their journey toward the fruition of their own identity. This is not just about culture. This is about who they are as a person and whether they are ready, and how to get ready to bring wholeness and self-leadership into their identity. In multicultural counseling, we explore what is a relationship that one wants to develop with their own culture and other cultures? And more importantly, how to get there? I feel honored to be on this journey with many clients. I found the following strategies really helpful to support this personal growth. 

I have never felt so Chinese before I came to the U.S. As a matter of fact, I rarely mentioned the word “Chinese” in my daily life while I was in China–I never had to, given that everyone around me was Chinese. Cultural diversity in the U.S. has given me a chance to reflect on my relationship with my own culture, and more importantly, what is the relationship that I want to develop with my own culture. As a therapist, my experiences with clients tell me that culture plays a significant role in people’s mental wellbeing, especially in U.S. society. In this article, I will share some examples of when culture is at the center of people’s mental struggles.

手心出汗、心跳加速、大脑中却一片空白……很多人在说外语时都有这些紧张不安的表现。尤其是当你忽然被提问，一瞬间无论怎么搜肠刮肚，也找不到合适的词表达。也许你眼前的人正一脸困惑，而你则感到颜面尽失……

对大多数人来说，用母语交流就像吃饭睡觉一样轻而易举，而相比之下，用外语来沟通，真的更费脑子——除了要费尽心思寻找合适的表达方式，还要克服心理上的焦虑。这个焦虑有个专门的词，叫“外语焦虑”（foreign language anxiety，简称FLA)。

Sweaty hands, racing heartbeat, mind going blank, uneasy, nervous, embarrassed… If you speak English as a second language, the above might not sound unfamiliar to you, especially if you are caught on the spot, struggling to figure out what words to use to save your face. Nevertheless, the person in front of you gets more and more confused…

While speaking one's native language seems so natural and easy, trying to command a foreign language requires extra mental resources — finding the right words and calming foreign language anxiety (FLA).

As a Chinese therapist, I understand how it can be difficult to share our emotions with our family or to be emotionally vulnerable with our therapist. When we start therapy, we talk about what has been going on in life, what we have experienced, and ways to manage our feelings. When I introduce Brainspotting to my Asian American clients, many seem interested in the modality.  However when these individuals try to utilize the technique, many find it hard to connect with their own body or to feel their emotions…

2020年初爆发的疫情，到现在已经持续很长一段时间了。什么时候能彻底结束恢复正常谁也不知道，但大家都希望能早点恢复到以前的样子，我们就可以回国看望父母或者朋友了，大家也可以出国旅行了。疫情期间，在美国境内飞行看望朋友或者家人相对容易很多。但对于那些家人和朋友都在美国境外的人来讲，见面就很难了。国际航班全面取消，各种限制，导致节假日跟家人见面就更加困难了。

It has been a long journey since the pandemic has spread globally beginning January 2020. How long will it take to be back to normal? No one knows the answer, but we all hope that it will end soon, so that we can travel internationally. It’s relatively easier to fly domestically in the US to see friends, relatives and family if they are in another state. But, it’s not quite the case for those who have families who live outside of the United States. Traveling internationally has prevented many of us from reuniting with families to celebrate any holidays.

When getting ready to start a journey in therapy, we think about our positions at the beginning. That includes: what type of counselor we are looking for, what kind of therapy style we would want to receive, and what kind of perspective we might gain from our therapist. There are many elements to consider when finding a therapist that best fits you. Here are some reasons why working with a BIPOC therapist may be suitable for you.

It’s not uncommon for people in the Chinese community to experience doubt or uncertainty about the idea of receiving counseling services. People may feel uncomfortable seeking help for their mental health issues when they are experiencing something difficult in their lives. While counseling can be helpful for addressing stressors and mental health concerns, there are a number of reasons why people may not be seeking out the counseling services that can help them. In this blog, I’ll be talking about 5 barriers to seeking mental health therapy in the Chinese community, and 5 reasons why people should consider counseling services.

留学生活往往比我们当初想象的要难，是否有时候感到远在大洋彼岸的父母无法理解自己？是否有很多压力都无法和身边朋友提及？生活中碰到了各种困难常常感到委屈？俗话说，心病还需心药医，作为华人心理咨询师，在此给你10个非常有效的建议。

Studying abroad can be harder than we think, sometimes we may think that our family and friends might not understand the situation we are living in, and it’s hard to convey these thoughts and feelings to them accurately. Mental health is as essential as your physical health, and needs to be cared for. When you are feeling sick, you may want to rest. If you  are having any concerns about your health, you consult with a doctor. Perhaps you can’t fall asleep because you’re stressing about an exam, feeling depressed because of homesickness, and experience lowered energy which is keeping you from enjoying life. These are all symptoms to be mindful of, and it’s important to know that there are solutions for those concerns.

作为一名身处海外的华人的心理咨询师，我能理解遇到一场突如其来的疫情时，我们想的是家，亲人，祖国，或者正在着急寻找一个安全的避难所。可是我们如今留在美国，为了读书，工作或者安居，可能很难突然放弃一切，放下当下所有，不顾一切的离开。 那么异国他乡的你是不是在这个时候会感觉更加的孤单，难过，和无助？感受不到亲人和家给你带来的温暖和依靠。面对远离了知己好友在身边玩耍和嬉闹的日子。以及工作上的解雇，无薪休假的选择，和没有了薪资的保障。而让你变得更加着急，忧郁，和无奈？那么我们可以先看看自己是否已存在患有抑郁症或者焦虑症的可能性。但是在自我检测的时候，不需要紧张，认识问题是解决问题的第一步。也不用马上对号入座，立马断定自己就是重度抑郁症，或者是严重焦虑症患者，真正需要诊断的话，还需要考虑很多其他因素。